Theory seminar: Dark matter self interactions and colliding galaxy clusters - evidence for self interactions in Abell 3827?

Kai Schmidt Hoberg, DESY, Hamburg [slides]

I will review motivations for the existence of self interacting dark matter and discuss possible astrophysical observables. Self-interactions of dark matter particles can potentially lead to an observable separation between the dark matter halo and the stars of a galaxy moving through a region of large dark matter density. Such a separation has recently been observed in a galaxy falling into the core of the galaxy cluster Abell 3827. I discuss the DM self-interaction cross section needed to reproduce the observed effects.

Note the time!

Published May 21, 2015 2:38 PM - Last modified Nov. 3, 2015 11:06 AM